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Essential Self-Defense Techniques For Cyclists

Editor’s Note: Thankfully, it’s something that doesn’t happen often, but we’ve all read about and even seen videos of cyclists being attacked by drivers (like this recent one from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, where a 74-year-old cyclist is beaten bloody with a bludgeon by the side of the road).

Have you ever considered what you would do if you were confronted in such a way, with perhaps no more than a water bottle with which to defend yourself?

I’m not prone to histrionics about statistically very unlikely events, but with that video fresh in my mind, I received an unsolicited story idea about self-defense from the PR folks for Krav Maga Worldwide. From the site: “Krav Maga is the official hand-to-hand combat system of the Israeli Defense Forces, and is widely regarded as the best self-defense system because of its efficient, no-nonsense, tactics that emphasize instinctive movements, practical techniques, and realistic training scenarios.”

So I decided to accept the article to share with RBR’s readers simply as a “why not” service to fellow riders. It seems like info that it can’t hurt to have in the back of your mind, just in case.

—John Marsh


Because attacks happen so quickly it’s often difficult to predict which self-defense technique is needed before the attack actually happens. It is because of this that Krav Maga Worldwide training utilizes the body’s natural reaction to being attacked to teach people to defend against common chokes, grabs, and strikes, as well as more serious threats involving weapons.

If you are training on a consistent basis you will cultivate a self-defense skill set, a “tool box” if you will, that will help you be prepared for self-defense situations. The following are techniques that Krav Maga Worldwide recommends as essential for people to have in their self-defense tool box.

Straight Punch

The basic movement behind a straight punch is to push off from your legs, rotate your hips and shoulders, and extend your arm out toward your target as explosively as possible. Clench your fist tightly and aim to make contact with the two knuckles at the base of your index and middle fingers against your attacker’s chin, mouth, or nose.

KravMagaStraightPunch.WEB

Front Kick to the Groin

The front kick to the groin travels on a vertical plane up the “A frame” form of an attacker’s legs and lower body. To deliver the kick drive your hips forward with your knee bent so your heel is back. Let your knee and leg extend and with your foot flat (shoe top up and toes forward gives the most striking surface), kick up and through the attacker’s groin. Imagine that your kick will travel through the attacker’s groin and out the top of the head, as if you were going to split them in two from the groin up. Recoil your leg back to it’s original position.

KravMagaFrontKickGroin.WEB

Knees

Knee strikes are very useful for creating damage at close range. If the attacker is close enough to grab you, that means you can grab the attacker and start doing damage using your knees. Grab as much skin, muscle (and whatever fabric the attacker is wearing) at the attacker’s trapezius (that’s the spot between the neck and shoulder) as possible. Keep the elbow of the arm grabbing the trap pointed down so you can brace yourself if the attacker comes forward.

Use your other hand to wrap behind the elbow on the same side of the body you are already grabbing. This grip on the trap and elbow will help you maintain a position from which to knee. Drive your hips forward with your heel back (so your leg makes a triangle in profile view) and imagine that you are going to punch your knee straight through the attacker in front of you. Recoil your knee by bringing your foot back to the ground, and continue to deliver knees until you can get away safely.

KravMagaKnees.WEB

Bear Hug Defense

If you are grabbed in a bear hug, from the front or from behind, the key to getting out is to start fighting back right away. It’s hard to start fighting back unless you establish two things: base and space.

Lower your center of gravity and “base out” by bending your legs and widening your feet. You will immediately become more difficult to lift off of your feet and more difficult to move, in general. As soon as you’ve established a solid base, immediately begin striking at any open and vulnerable areas that the attacker presents. Continue to strike (head butt, knee strikes, kicks, punches, bites) until there is sufficient space for you to turn in (if attacked from behind) and continue with more strikes, or to simply separate and run away.

KravMagaBearHug.WEB

Choke Defense

If a choke comes on from the front, back, or side and that choke happens “in place” (which is to say that you are being attacked but generally standing in the same place, not being moved or pushed while choked) Krav Maga Worldwide students are taught to “pluck” the choker’s hands away and immediately strike back.

Your body (meaning your hands) will want to immediately go toward your neck if a choke is put on you and will most likely end up on top of the attacker’s hands as they are already on the neck. Instead of trying to pull the attacker’s hands off of the neck, which could be impossible if the defender is a much smaller person than the attacker, use your hands like hooks (thumbs against index fingers, hands in a “C” shape) and explosively pluck at the attackers thumbs.

The attacker cannot maintain a choke using their hands (it’s a different defense if the attacker is choking with their arm like a “rear naked choke” or similar) if their thumbs are plucked off of the defender’s neck. Immediately begin to strike vulnerable areas on the attacker’s body.

KravMagaChokeDefense.WEB

For more information check out www.kravmaga.com. 

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Steve Kearney says

    August 10, 2017 at 10:53 am

    The bike itself makes a good weapon. Pick it up and swing it.

    Reply
  2. Anonymous says

    August 10, 2017 at 11:27 am

    Full water bottle is a nice hard object for a head blow or a good spray to the face works too

    Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    August 10, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    remember your bike pump

    Reply
  4. Rick says

    August 10, 2017 at 1:20 pm

    Pepper spray, works on people and dogs.

    Reply
  5. Hank says

    August 10, 2017 at 1:36 pm

    IF we have to start packing…I will be at spin class. Are group rides a deterrent? I agree with Rick…Mace works… The new weapon…a cell phone …
    a 911 call?

    Reply
  6. Curt Vazquez says

    August 10, 2017 at 2:05 pm

    I’m happy to report that short after the incident the truck driver was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

    Reply
  7. Anonymous says

    August 10, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    I have had it happen. I do not ride without a firearm – krav maga is useless against a vehicle – Highway Patrol agrees with being armed and says that you just need to be sure all the bullet holes are in the front of the vehicle – not in the rear as it pulls away

    Reply
  8. Jackson says

    August 10, 2017 at 3:00 pm

    Don’t get fearful folks, these incidences fortunately are considered rare. I am glad that the clubbing dirt bag was arrested, hopefully the elderly gentleman will sue to add more pain and misery to the clubber. Too bad the cops didn’t start practicing their clubbing attacks on the dirt bag just for fun. I’m glad I wasn’t there because I would gone crazy on the dirt bag which legally probably would have landed me in trouble.

    Reply
  9. Anonymous says

    August 10, 2017 at 4:15 pm

    I was harassed by a passing vehicle, confronted, and ultimately attacked with a Maglite. Lost two front teeth and left blacked out on the side of a very busy street in an upscale (think movie stars) neighborhood of So. Cal. Lesson learned: anybody who wants to confront a cyclist in a threatening manner is NOT NORMAL. Do not expect them to behave reasonably or predictably. Short of having a firearm with you, which is problematic in many ways, you really have very little ability to defend yourself, particularly if you are wearing road shoes with cleats and slippery bottoms. Get away from the assailant in whatever way is available to you. If you have video or a photo of them and/their license plate, let the authorities deal with the perpetrator.

    Reply
  10. Brian Nystrom says

    August 10, 2017 at 5:14 pm

    If you have the option, remove the front wheel. The fork and chainrings can do a lot of damage to an attacker.

    Reply
  11. Anonymous says

    August 10, 2017 at 5:48 pm

    [quote=Anonymous]I was harassed by a passing vehicle, confronted, and ultimately attacked with a Maglite. Lost two front teeth and left blacked out on the side of a very busy street in an upscale (think movie stars) neighborhood of So. Cal. Lesson learned: anybody who wants to confront a cyclist in a threatening manner is NOT NORMAL. Do not expect them to behave reasonably or predictably. Short of having a firearm with you, which is problematic in many ways, you really have very little ability to defend yourself, particularly if you are wearing road shoes with cleats and slippery bottoms. Get away from the assailant in whatever way is available to you. If you have video or a photo of them and/their license plate, let the authorities deal with the perpetrator.[/quote]

    In one of the instances I experienced the vehicle did not have a license – it had a paper tag which was of no value in going after them – I am quite certain the driver counted on that – and the vehicle was his weapon – there was no fighting back against it

    Reply
  12. Doug Ford says

    August 10, 2017 at 7:39 pm

    [quote=Rick]Pepper spray, works on people and dogs.[/quote]
    Instead, try carrying pepper [u]gel[/u]. It doesn’t atomize like spray and can be used while moving against a dog without fear of it coming back at you our other riders. I call it “Plan C” regarding aggressive drivers. Try Amazon or your local sporting goods store.

    Reply
  13. Kevin says

    August 10, 2017 at 8:43 pm

    I can’t imagine a scenario where this action would be justified. But, the video doesn’t show nor explain what initiated the event. Location suggests that it wasn’t a car strike. Just curious. You can get training similar to what John outlines in his article from http://140773d036onco86lbvnjw6p3e.hop.clickbank.net/ In order to stand a chance against any attacker, though, you are going to have to get off your bike. You can’t fight very well with a bike between your legs.

    Reply

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